Contact element for electrolytic processing of wire and the like



July 26, 1960 ROY EI'AL 2,946,734

CONTACT ELEMENT FOR ELECTROLYTIC PROCESSING OF WIRE AND THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet J.

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\\\\\\h l /l/l/l/I/I/I/A III/ I/IIIIIIII/ II/IIIIII/IIII III/[IIIIII II II II FRANK P. R0) and RICHARD L. SALLO A flornay July 26, 1960 F. P. RbY ETAL 7 CONTACT ELEMENT FOR ELECTROLYTIC PROCESSING OF WIRE AND THE LIKE 7 Filed April 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W L} a I" E ii L: mm

INVENTORS FRANK P. R0) 0/70" RICHARD L. .SALLO Allbrnay CONTACT ELEMENT FOR ELECTROLYTIC PROC- ESSIN G F WIRE AND THE LIKE Frank P. Roy, Burton, and Richard L. Sallo, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 729,087 2 Claims. or. 204-279) drawings, in which:

Figure l is a partial view in perspective showing the contact element of the invention installed in an electro- Y plating tank;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the contact element of the invention and the tank and anodes of Figure 1; V

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the contact element of the invention; and p Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a contact pin and mounting plate of the'contact element of the invention.

For the purpose of illustration the contact element of the invention is shown anddescribed as used in an electroplating process for coating steel wire with a layer of protective metal such as zinc by electrodeposition from a bath of electrolyte. However, use of the contact element of the invention is not restricted to electroplating but may be used in other electrolytic processes.

Referring more particularly to the drawings reference,

character 2 designates an electrolyte tank including two lead anode plates 4 submerged in an electrolyte bath. The contact element assembly of the invention, which is generally designated by reference character 6, functions as the cathode contact in the electrolyte bath and is mounted upright in the tank 2' between the two lead anode plates 4. This construction is conventional except for the novel contact element assembly of our invention, the details of which will now be described. I

Contact element assembly 6 includes a slab 8 of micarta or similar insulating material having transverse holes 10 therethrough at spaced intervals along its length. The slab 8 spans the tank 2 from one side to the other and is seated in a rubber coated steel cathode and anode supporting plate 12 between ends of the lead anode plates 4. The level of the electrolyte solution in the tank 2 is above the holes 10, as best shown in Figure 2.

The slab 8 is also provided with holes 14 drilled thereinto from the upper edge of the slab which are normal to and intersect the transverse holes 10. A pair of longi- 2,946,734 Patented an 2e, rear:

tudinally spaced copper bus bars 16 and 18 are affixed to the top edge of the slab 8 by means of screws 20. The bus bars 16 and 18 derive power from two independent sources of DC. current 16' and 18' respectively, connected with the two anodes 4. Each of the bus bars is provided with a plurality of spaced holes 24 which match the holes 14 in the slab 8.

Contact pins 26, preferably made of tungsten or similar material, are fitted into each of the holes 24 and matching holes 14. Each of the pins 26 is silver brazed at one end to a copper plate 27 one of which is bolted to the bus bars over each of the holes 24. The bottom portions of the contact pins intersect the transverse holes 10 and may be provided with orifices or holes 28 which are aligned with the guiding holes 10.

In operation, current is passed to bars 16 and 18 while continuous strands of wire W are passed through the holes 10 in slab 8 and aligned orifices 28 in pins 26. The strands of wire are off-centered relative to orifices 28 and make contact with the energized contact element 6 by rubbing against the inner surfaces of the orifices 28 in the pins 26. If desired, the contact pins 26 may be so dimensioned that their bottom surfaces contact the wire strands passing through holes 10.

Although we have shown the use of two independent bus bars afiixed to the edge of slab 8 it will be understood that a single bus bar could be used for conducting current tothe contact element of the invention. The use of than two independent bus bars may be used if desired.

While one embodiment of our invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A contact element assembly for the electrolytic processing of wire or strip which comprises a slab of insulating material standing on edge in an electrolyte tank and extending transversely thereof, said slab having a first set of transverse holes therethrough spaced along the length thereof adjacent the lower edge, and a second set of holes extending downwardly from the upper edge, intersecting the holes of the first set and extending therebelow, a conducting bar secured to the upper edge of said slab having holes therethrough alined with the holes of the second set,

1 respectively, and contact pins fixedly inserted in each hole References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 'Brockway May 5, 1931 Huston el al- July 15, 1947 

1. A CONTACT ELEMENT ASSEMBLY FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PROCESSING OF WIRE OR STRIP WHICH COMPRISES A SLAB OF INSULATING MATERIAL STANDING ON EDGE IN AN ELECTROLYTE TANK AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREOF, SAID SLAB HAVING A FIRST SET OF TRANSVERSE HOLES THERETHROUGH SPACED ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF ADJACENT THE LOWER EDGE, AND A SECOND SET OF HOLES EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE UPPER EDGE, INTERSECTING THE HOLES OF THE FIRST SET AND EXTENDING THEREBELOW, A CONDUCTING BAR SECURED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID SLAB HAVING HOLES THERETHROUGH ALINED WITH THE HOLES OF THE SECOND SET, RESPECTIVELY, AND CONTACT PINS FIXEDLY INSERTED IN EACH HOLE IN SAID BAR AND THE ALINED HOLE OF SAID SECOND SET, SAID PINS BEING IN ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH SAID BAR AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND INTERSECTING THE HOLES OF SAID FIRST SET, SAID CONTACT PINS HAVING HOLES THROUGH THEIR LOWER ENDS REGISTERING WITH THE HOLES OF SAID FIRST SET, RESPECTIVELY. 